JP2024073338A - Content distribution system, content distribution device, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To enable a viewer of content to give benefits to the viewer and others while supporting performers, etc.SOLUTION: A content distribution system includes a content distribution unit that distributes a content featuring performer to a user terminal, an EC server that manages an EC site that sells a product or a service introduced by the performer in the content, a guidance information presentation unit that presents guidance information to the EC site to the user terminal, a counting unit that counts the number of sales of the products or services introduced by the performers on the EC site during a specified period, and an event generation unit that generates events in the content according to the number of sales during the specified period.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Application for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act filed (1) Date of website posting: October 7, 2022 Website address: https://livepark.jp/channels/asobiba/JTzIlk95 (2) Date of website posting: November 14, 2022 Website address: https://events.livepark.jp/videos/OrtqiZsDXZA?utm_source=livepark_asobibanews&utm_medium=lineup&utm_campaign=beppuasobiba

The present invention relates to a content distribution system, a content distribution device, and a program.

Currently, various video contents are being produced and distributed via video distribution services and the like. Furthermore, in recent years, in addition to viewing content, there have been tipping services that allow users who have viewed content to pay money to the creators of their favorite content and the performers who appear in it to support them.

JP 2022-127068 A

However, traditional tipping services only allowed for a one-way flow of money from viewers to the content creators and performers appearing in the content, and only the content creators and performers receiving any benefits.

The object of the present invention is to provide a content distribution system, content distribution device, and program that allows viewers of content to support performers, etc. while also providing benefits to the viewers and others.

One aspect of the present invention is a content distribution system that includes a content distribution unit that distributes content in which a performer appears to a user terminal, an EC server that manages an EC site that sells products or services introduced by the performer in the content, a guide information presentation unit that presents guide information to the EC site to the user terminal, a counting unit that counts the number of sales of the products or services introduced by the performer on the EC site during a specified period, and an event generation unit that generates an event in the content according to the number of sales during the specified period.

One aspect of the present invention is a content distribution device that includes a content distribution unit that distributes content in which a performer appears to a user terminal, a guidance information presentation unit that presents to the user terminal guidance information to an EC site that sells products or services introduced by the performer in the content, a counting unit that counts the number of sales of the products or services introduced by the performer on the EC site during a specified period, and an event generation unit that generates an event in the content according to the number of sales counted during the specified period.

One aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to function as a display means for displaying content in which a performer appears, a guidance information presentation means for presenting guidance information to an EC site that sells products or services introduced by the performer in the content, a purchasing means for enabling a user to purchase the products or services introduced by the performer based on the guidance information, and an event presentation means for presenting an event in the content according to the number of products or services introduced by the performer sold in a specified period on the EC site.

The present invention provides a content distribution system, content distribution device, and program that allow viewers of content to support performers, etc. while also providing benefits to the viewers and others.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a content distribution system according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the content distribution device 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the EC site server 2 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the content distribution system. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of content displayed on the user terminal 3. As shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the content and the EC site displayed on the user terminal 3. As shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of event-processed content displayed on the user terminal 3. As shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of content that has undergone event processing and is displayed on the user terminal 3. As shown in FIG.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described.
<System configuration example>

First, an example of the configuration of a content distribution system according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a content distribution system according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the content distribution system includes a content distribution management device 1, an EC server 2, and a plurality of user terminals 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the content distribution management device 1, the EC server 2, and the plurality of user terminals 3 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a network N. Note that the network N can be any of various communication networks, whether wired or wireless, such as the Internet.

The content distribution management device 1 is, for example, a server device managed by a service provider that provides a video distribution service for content in which performers appear, and distributes the content in which performers appear to a user terminal 3. The content distribution management device 1 also receives accounting information, including information on sales volume, from an EC server 2 that manages an EC (Electronic Commerce) site that sells products and services introduced by performers appearing in the content, and uses the accounting information to perform event processing that generates an event in the content to be distributed.

The content distribution management device 1 may be a cloud server device managed by a cloud computing service provider, or may be a distributed computing system consisting of multiple computers. The functional configuration of the content distribution management device 1 will be described in detail later.

The EC server 2 is a server device that operates an EC site that sells products and services. Some of the products and services sold are products and services introduced by performers who appear in the content distributed by the content distribution management device 1. The EC server 2 notifies the content distribution management device 1 of accounting information including information such as the number of units sold of the products and services introduced by the performers who appear in the content.

The user terminal 3 is a terminal owned and used by each user who watches the video content. The user terminal 3 may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet PC (Personal Computer), or may be a notebook PC or desktop PC installed in the user's home. An application for watching videos may be installed on the user terminal 3, but installing the application is optional if watching videos via a video viewing website.

The user uses the user terminal 3 to view the content distributed by the content distribution management device 1. The user can then purchase products or services introduced by the performers appearing in the content via the EC site.

In FIG. 1, the content distribution system according to this embodiment is shown to include at least two types of devices: a content distribution management device 1 and an EC server 2. However, depending on the mode of use, other information processing devices may be included, the content distribution management device 1 and the EC server 2 may be further distributed across multiple devices, or the content distribution management device 1 and the EC server 2 may be combined into a single device.

<Example of configuration of each device>
Next, a functional configuration example of the content distribution device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of the content distribution device 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the content distribution device 1 has a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13.

The communication unit 11 is a processing unit that controls communications with other devices such as the EC server 2 and the user terminal 3, and is, for example, a communication interface such as a network interface card.
The storage unit 12 stores various data and programs executed by the control unit 13, and is, for example, a memory or a hard disk.

The control unit 13 is a processing unit that controls the entire content distribution device 1, and is, for example, a processor. The control unit 13 includes a content distribution unit 131, a guide information presentation unit 132, a counting unit 133, and an event generation unit 134. Each processing unit is an example of an electronic circuit that the processor has or an example of a process that the processor executes.

In response to a request from the user terminal 3, the content distribution unit 131 distributes the requested content (video) to the user terminal 3. The content to be distributed is live footage featuring a performer. In the content, the performer introduces a specific product or service. Here, a product is a tangible object, such as a local specialty product. A service is a specified service provided to a user who purchases the product, such as the provision of accommodation facilities.

The guide information presenting unit 132 presents, to the user terminal 3, guide information for guiding a user to an EC site where the user can purchase a product or service introduced by the performer in the content. The guide information is, for example, link information (URL) to the EC site. The guide information may include not only the link information (URL) but also an image and price information of the introduced product or service.
The counting unit 133 receives payment information from the EC server 2 and counts the number of sales of the product or service introduced in the content.

The event generation unit 134 generates an event within the distributed content according to the number of sales of a product or service introduced in the content in a specified period. Here, the specified period is, for example, in the case of live content, the period during which the live content is distributed or a period set by the management side. An example of an event is to display notification information (for example, the current number of sales) or a special effect according to the number of sales of a product or service introduced in the content within the content, but is not limited to this. In addition, the number of sales of a product or service introduced in the content may be triggered to display notification information, a special effect, etc. within the content.

The above describes an example of the functional configuration of the content distribution device 1 according to this embodiment. Note that the functional configuration described above using FIG. 2 is merely an example, and the functional configuration of the content distribution device 1 according to this embodiment is not limited to this example. For example, the content distribution device 1 does not necessarily have all of the components shown in FIG. 2, and some of the components, such as the content distribution unit 131, can be provided in a computer different from the content distribution device 1. The functional configuration of the content distribution device 1 can be flexibly modified according to specifications and operations.

Next, an example of the functional configuration of the EC server 2 according to this embodiment will be described. The EC site is operated by the EC server 2. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the EC server 2 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the EC server 2 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23.

The communication unit 21 is a processing unit that controls communication between other devices, such as the content distribution device 1 and the user terminal 3, and is, for example, a communication interface such as a network interface card.

The storage unit 22 stores various data and programs executed by the control unit 23, and is, for example, a memory or a hard disk. The storage unit 22 also stores a product/service information database 221 that stores product/service information including the names, contents, prices, etc. of products or services sold by the EC site.

The control unit 23 is a processing unit, such as a processor, that controls the entire EC server 2. The control unit 23 includes a product/service sales unit 231 and a payment information transmission unit 232.
The product/service sales department 231 operates an EC site, refers to the product/service information database 221, sells various products or services to users, and processes payments.
When the user completes the purchase and payment, the payment information transmitting unit 232 transmits payment information including the number of sold products or services, the sales amount, etc. to the user terminal 3. In addition, for products or services introduced by the above-mentioned content, when the user completes the purchase and payment, the payment information transmitting unit 232 transmits payment information including the number of sold products or services, the sales amount, etc. to the content distribution device 1.

<Operation of Content Distribution System>
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the content distribution system.
The content distribution unit 131 of the content distribution device 1 receives live video of a performer introducing a product or service, and distributes it to the user terminal 3. The content to be distributed here has added thereto guidance information (e.g., a URL) provided by the guidance information presentation unit 132 to guide the user to an EC site selling the product or service introduced by the performer (Step 100).

The user terminal 3 receives the content and displays the content, and the user views the content (Step 101). FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of content displayed on the user terminal 3. In the example of FIG. 5, the user terminal 3 displays content in which the performer appears, and information to guide the user to an EC site where the product (AA beef) introduced by the performer can be purchased.

When the user wishes to purchase a product or service introduced in the content, the user accesses the EC site by touching (selecting) the guidance information of the content (Step 102).

In response to the access from the user terminal 3, the product/service sales unit 231 of the EC site server 2 transmits to the user terminal 3 an EC site that sells the product or service introduced by the content (Step 103).

The user terminal 3 displays an EC site that sells the product or service introduced in the content (Step 104), and the user can browse the EC site. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of content and an EC site displayed on the user terminal 3. In the example of FIG. 6, the user terminal 3 displays content in which the performer appears, and an EC site where the product introduced by the performer (AA beef) can be purchased.

When the user wishes to purchase a product (AA Beef) (Step 105), the user can proceed to the purchase procedure by touching (selecting) the purchase button for the relevant product (AA Beef). If the user selects to purchase the product (AA Beef), the user terminal 3 transmits purchase information to the EC server 2 (Step 105).

The product/service sales unit 231 of the EC server 2 receives the purchase information from the user terminal 3 and performs payment processing for the product (AA cow) (Step 106). Then, when the payment is completed, the payment information transmission unit 232 of the EC server 2 transmits the payment information to the content distribution device 1 and the user terminal 3 (Step 107).

The counting unit 133 of the content distribution device 1 receives the payment information, counts up the sales quantity X by the number of items sold (Step 108), and notifies the event generation unit 134 of the count value.

The event generation unit 134 of the content distribution device 1 performs event processing to generate an event in the content according to the notified count value (Step 109). Then, the content distribution unit 131 of the content distribution device 1 distributes the content in which the event has occurred to the user terminal 3 (Step 110).

Figures 7 and 8 are diagrams showing an example of event-processed content displayed on the user terminal 3. In the example of Figure 7, the current purchase number of the product (AA beef) introduced by the performer is displayed as an event on the user terminal 3. The current purchase number is the number counted in real time by the counting unit 133 by the event generating unit 134 of the content distribution device 1, which is superimposed on the content using computer graphics. Also, Figure 8 is an example of an event that occurs in the content when the current purchase number (number counted by the counting unit 133) of the product (AA beef) introduced by the performer reaches a target value, and notification information notifying that the target has been reached is superimposed on the content using computer graphics by the event generating unit 134 on the user terminal 3.

In the above operation, the operation for one product has been explained, but multiple products or services may be handled within one content. Also, a different target number of products to be sold may be set for each product, and the target level may be sequentially increased.
Furthermore, if the number of items sold on the EC site is visible, the number of items sold may be input to the content distribution device 1 .

The content distribution system according to this embodiment is not a one-way flow of money from viewers to content performers as in conventional tipping services, but also benefits viewers. That is, viewers purchase products or services introduced by their favorite performers for their favorite performers, but the purchased products or services become the viewers' own. On the other hand, by having performers purchase the products or services they introduce, events are generated in the content, and the performers can also benefit from the performance. In addition, by using the content distribution system according to this embodiment to distribute content introducing local products by performers, viewers who support the performers will purchase the products, creating a large circulation that contributes to the local economy.

<First Modification of the Present Embodiment>
Furthermore, the functions of each of the components of the above-mentioned content distribution management device 1, EC server 2, and user terminal 3 may be performed by a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) reading out a control program from a storage medium such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory) that stores a control program describing processing procedures for realizing these functions, and interpreting and executing the program.

<Modification 2 of this embodiment>
In the above embodiment, the user terminal 3 is described as viewing the content on a browser-based basis. However, a dedicated application may be installed in the user terminal 3, and the content may be viewed using the dedicated application.

In the case of a dedicated application, the method of presenting guidance information and other information can be customized on the application side, making it possible to achieve even more convenient operation.

The present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above embodiments and can be modified and implemented in various ways within the scope of its technical concept.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Content distribution management device 2 EC server 3 User terminal 11 Communication unit 12 Storage unit 13 Control unit 21 Communication unit 22 Storage unit 23 Control unit 131 Content distribution unit 132 Guide information presentation unit 133 Counting unit 134 Event generation unit 231 Product/service sales unit

Claims (3)

a content distribution unit that distributes content in which a performer appears to a user terminal;
an EC server that manages an EC site that sells products or services introduced by the performers in the content;
a guidance information presentation unit that presents guidance information to the EC site to the user terminal;
A counting unit that counts the number of products or services sold by the performer on the EC site during a predetermined period of time;
an event generating unit that generates an event in the content in accordance with the number of sales during the predetermined period;
A content distribution system comprising: a content distribution unit that distributes content in which a performer appears to a user terminal;
a guidance information presentation unit that presents guidance information to an EC site that sells a product or service introduced by the performer in the content to the user terminal;
A counting unit that counts the number of products or services sold by the performer on the EC site during a predetermined period of time;
an event generating unit that generates an event in the content in accordance with the number of sales during the predetermined period;
A content distribution device comprising: Computer,
A display means for displaying content in which the performer appears;
A guide information presentation means for presenting guide information to an EC site that sells the product or service introduced by the performer in the content;
A purchasing means for purchasing a product or service introduced by the performer based on the guidance information;
An event presentation means for presenting an event in the content according to the number of products or services introduced by the performer sold in a predetermined period on the EC site;
A program that functions as a

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